The present invention relates to a monitoring device to prevent separation and more particularly pertains to a device which sounds an alarm once a predetermined distance has been reached between two people or objects.
The use of electronic communication devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, electronic communication devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of communicating messages are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,272 to Cox discloses an electronic monitoring system for persons, pets or articles, comprised of a pair of devices with audible alarming means when a threshold condition is met, such as reduced signal strength resulting from separation distance. U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,460 to Sallen discloses a system comprised of a series of child transceivers, units and a parent unit, capable of generating an alarm when a predetermined distance is reached. U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,593 to Hughes discloses a child proximity detector, capable of communicating messages. U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,770 to Schlager discloses a compressive remotely monitoring system.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a monitoring device to prevent separation for sounding an alarm once a predetermined distance has been reached between two people or objects.
In this respect, the monitoring device to prevent separation according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of sounding an alarm once a predetermined distance has been reached between two people or objects.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved monitoring device to prevent separation which can be used for sounding an alarm once a predetermined distance has been reached between two people or objects. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of electronic communication devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved monitoring device to prevent separation. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved monitoring device to prevent separation which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a transmitter portion adapted for coupling with a person or object to be monitored. A receiver portion is provided that is adapted for being worn on a person. The receiver portion is in communication with the transmitter portion. The receiver portion has a predetermined separation parameter measured between the receiver portion and the transmitter portion. The receiver portion includes means for determining the distance between the receiver portion and the transmitter portion. The receiver portion includes an alarm for sounding once the predetermined separation parameter has been exceeded. Further, an alarm may also sound at the transmitter to startle a would-be wrongdoer and alert others surrounding the person or object being monitored.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved monitoring device to prevent separation which has all the advantages of the prior art electronic communication devices and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved monitoring device to prevent separation which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved monitoring device to prevent separation which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved monitoring device to prevent separation which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a monitoring device to prevent separation economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved monitoring device to prevent separation for sounding an alarm once a predetermined distance has been reached between two people or objects.
It is yet a further object of the invention to sound an additional alert at the transmitter, so as to warn the would-be wrongdoer of its presence, and warn those surrounding the person or object being monitored.
It is yet a further object of the invention that in the case of a person being monitored, the transmitter is configured so that it is not easily removed. Accordingly, the transmitter housing has a closed loop on its rear surface, and has a belt which extends through the closed loop. The belt has a security double buckle which prevents the would-be wrongdoer from easily removing the transmitter from the person.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved monitoring device to prevent separation including a transmitter portion adapted for coupling with a person or object to be monitored. A receiver portion is provided that is adapted for being worn on a person. The receiver portion is in communication with the transmitter portion. The receiver portion has a predetermined separation parameter measured between the receiver portion and the transmitter portion. The receiver portion includes means for determining the distance between the receiver portion and the transmitter portion. The receiver portion includes an alarm for sounding once the predetermined separation parameter has been exceeded.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.